A relatively young healing art, chiropractic centers on the relationship between the musculoskeletal configuration of the body -- principally the spine -- and the workings of the nervous system. Chiropractic postulates that many health ailments and irregularities are consequences of spinal misalignment occurrences called subluxations. Correcting these harmful positions will enable the nervous system to heal illnesses and strengthen immunity. To this end, chiropractors have used and refined many techniques for more than a century.
Spinal Manipulation
Perhaps the most widely known procedure, spinal manipulation is the application of heavy pressure to the spine and its adjacent muscles. The technique is performed quickly, yet the chiropractor is trained to spare ligaments of any tear or damage. Manipulation serves to re-set the position of the spine and its muscular support so that optimal function can be attained. Sometimes that function is realized in a greater degree of maneuverability. At other times a reduction or elimination of pain is the result.
Extremity Manipulation
If a problem in a muscle or joint reverberates throughout the body, the chiropractor may opt for extremity manipulation. The goal of extremity adjustment is to restore a full range of motion to a muscle or joint, such as the wrist, knee or elbow. Additionally, the chiropractor seeks to fully reconnect the affected area to its nerve supply, the separation of which can lead to atrophied muscles, decaying organs and even mental illness. Chiropractic philosophy stresses such integration of the nervous, immune and musculoskeletal systems.
Activator Methods
These techniques operate on the assumption that years of bad posture can lead to pelvic problems. These in turn can affect the length of one leg relative to the other, causing pain at the hips and in the knees. Using a specially designed mallet, the chiropractor orients the vertebrae and joints into a position conducive to healing and pain reduction. The percussion from the mallet -- called an activator -- is normally gentle and painless. Different tables have been developed and used for leg measurement, hence a multiplicity of names are associated with activator techniques.
Sacro-Occipital Technique
The sacro-occipital technique, or SOT, is a diagnostic and treatment tool for locating the exact points of subluxation. Its name indicates that the relationship of the sacrum -- located at the base of the spine -- and the occiput at the back of the head can reveal to the chiropractor the nature of a patient's ailment. Placing orthopedic blocks under a patient's pelvis, lumbars, rib cage or knees, SOT allows the force of gravity to affect adjustments in subluxations in a manner that is barely noticeable by the patient.
